DS Lake Ellyn View Is Sweet
Our role on this Glen Ellyn new construction was what we’d call “the works.” We did it all. And while it did take two full years to complete, it actually clipped right along at an extraordinarily efficient pace thanks to one key factor. Trust. It was one of those rare and blissfully welcome instances where the homeowners just handed us their full confidence on a silver platter.
While the family’s original intent was to remodel the existing late 1940s house on the lot, they realized the cost was only nominally higher for new construction. Plus, they were envisioning a full-on basement arcade, but the current home’s low ceilings and mechanicals would have cramped its style – badly. So we shifted into new construction gear, with a clean slate on a killer lot facing Lake Ellyn.
Some of our favorite things about the house turned out to be the trickiest to pull off, since many were Designstorms “firsts.” Obviously every job has its challenges, especially long projects.
Let’s start with the family room. A sizable 2-story space at the back of the house, it faces the wooded part of the lot, with tons of glass to maximize the view. Because the room is huuuuuge, and the ceiling is vaulted and peaked, we wanted to cozy it up a bit. We added white shiplap to the vaulted ceiling, and installed two massive trusses and a 6’ x 6’ custom-designed, showstopper of a light fixture to visually bring the ceiling down. The other tricky element of that room was the wall above the fireplace, since there was a whoooole lot of it. We installed a TV above the fire box, added paneling above the TV (so they wouldn’t feel the need to hang a giant clock or wreath or something equally unnecessary to fill the space), then shiplap above that, to reduce the height of the chimney and give the wall a more finished feel.
With this home, we were able to drive every detail, so the reality of the final design stayed true to the original vision, even as we tweaked things along the way. We kept the open airiness the homeowners wanted, and framed the key living spaces with elaborate molding and millwork. We established the palette, designed every piece of trim and cabinetry and built-ins – even the custom newel post – and then furnished the entire place, from rugs and window treatments to accessories and art.
While the family’s original intent was to remodel the existing late 1940s house on the lot, they realized the cost was only nominally higher for new construction. Plus, they were envisioning a full-on basement arcade, but the current home’s low ceilings and mechanicals would have cramped its style – badly. So we shifted into new construction gear, with a clean slate on a killer lot facing Lake Ellyn.
Some of our favorite things about the house turned out to be the trickiest to pull off, since many were Designstorms “firsts.” Obviously every job has its challenges, especially long projects.
Let’s start with the family room. A sizable 2-story space at the back of the house, it faces the wooded part of the lot, with tons of glass to maximize the view. Because the room is huuuuuge, and the ceiling is vaulted and peaked, we wanted to cozy it up a bit. We added white shiplap to the vaulted ceiling, and installed two massive trusses and a 6’ x 6’ custom-designed, showstopper of a light fixture to visually bring the ceiling down. The other tricky element of that room was the wall above the fireplace, since there was a whoooole lot of it. We installed a TV above the fire box, added paneling above the TV (so they wouldn’t feel the need to hang a giant clock or wreath or something equally unnecessary to fill the space), then shiplap above that, to reduce the height of the chimney and give the wall a more finished feel.
With this home, we were able to drive every detail, so the reality of the final design stayed true to the original vision, even as we tweaked things along the way. We kept the open airiness the homeowners wanted, and framed the key living spaces with elaborate molding and millwork. We established the palette, designed every piece of trim and cabinetry and built-ins – even the custom newel post – and then furnished the entire place, from rugs and window treatments to accessories and art.
Project Year: 2018
Project Cost: More than $2,000,000
Country: United States
